Dr. Nawal Shrestha is a plant taxonomist by training. He is broadly interested in plant systematics, macroecology and conservation biology. He is currently working as a researcher in the Institute of Ecology at Peking University, China. His work focuses on investigating large-scale patterns of species distribution and evaluating how evolutionary processes and/or contemporary environment influence them. Dr. Shrestha has authored several national and international publications and also worked as a reviewer for reputed scientific journals. His recent research on the evolutionary history of Rhododendron was widely acclaimed and also featured on the cover page of Global Ecology and Biogeography (Volume 27, Issue 8). As part of his Rhododendron research, he has also identified the environmental determinants of high Rhododendron diversity in south-west China and suggested a conservation scheme for efficiently protecting them. He has an active association with different societies and academies around the world and has received several awards for the contributions to the scientific community.